Hackney Proms Children's Policy

Our concerts are adult concerts to which families are welcomed. We believe in the importance of encouraging children to enjoy music from a young age. It is a way of passing on the baton of musical enjoyment from one generation to the next. Seeing children with parents – and grandparents – enjoying music together on a Sunday morning is a pleasure.

Is our concert appropriate for you and your child? Please come and try it out; if it doesn’t work we provide a ‘children’s refuge room’ where you can take them.

Musicians want to be heard and the audience wants to listen. By observing the policy set out below, we will together work to safeguard the respect that the musicians and other members of the audience deserve.

We want everyone to feel comfortable about bringing children to our concerts.

Therefore you need to be very clear about the behaviour we expect from them, with your support.

If children are upset or unable to sit quietly, we will ask you to take them to the refuge room as quickly and quietly as possible.

Children must not run around the concert hall. If they do not remain with you during the performance, we will ask you to move to the refuge room.

In the interests of safety no one apart from the performers should enter the stage area, which will be clearly marked.

Our Sunday morning concerts are in two halves with an interval of twenty to twenty-five minutes. We aim to start at 11.30am and finish at 1.15pm.

Our concerts are run by a group of volunteers. We will be visible in the hall, identified by Hackney Proms badges. Please speak to one of us if you need clarification or support.